Three Things You Didn’t Know About Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents occur when a person who is on foot is hit by a motor vehicle, such as a car, truck, or motorcycle. Not surprisingly, the pedestrians are usually the ones who are seriously hurt in these kinds of incidents. Here are three facts that you may not have known about pedestrian accidents. For more information or for legal advice about your case, call our office today to speak with an attorney at no cost to you.

They Are Unfortunately Common Many people think of pedestrian accidents as freak accidents that occur only rarely and in extreme circumstances. Unfortunately, this is not the case. According to the Indiana University Public Policy Institute, there were 1,793 pedestrians involved in collisions during 2015 or nearly five per day.

Pedestrians Can Be Partially at Fault for Accidents When most people hear about pedestrian accidents, they almost always assume that the driver was completely at fault for an accident. This is often the case because of misconceptions about pedestrians “always having the right of way” or similar phrases that are often repeated by drivers when discussing the rules of the road. In reality, however, pedestrians do not always have the right of way, such as when they are jaywalking or walking along the road where it is prohibited to do so (such as on an interstate highway). Even when pedestrians do not have the right of way, drivers who hit pedestrians often still have some degree of fault. When a pedestrian is partially at fault for the collision, the amount of money the pedestrian ultimately recovers will be reduced by his or her proportion of responsibility. For example, if a pedestrian is awarded $100,000 after an accident but is deemed to have been 20 percent at fault, he or she will only receive $80,000.

Obtaining Adequate Compensation Can Be Difficult Many pedestrians who are injured in accidents that were clearly caused by the negligence of a driver expect that obtaining compensation for their losses will be relatively easy. While it is true that when fault is clear insurance companies tend to make settlement offers, the reality is that these offers are often far below the actual value of the case at issue. Any settlement you accept should not only cover you for your current losses, but also for future losses that are yet to be realized. For this reason, it is important for anyone injured in a pedestrian accident to discuss his or her case with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible and certainly before accepting a settlement.

Call Us Today to Speak with an Indianapolis Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, it is in your best interest to speak to an experienced lawyer as soon as you can, as you may be entitled to significant compensation. At the Law Office of William W. Hurst, we are committed to helping accident victims recover the full and fair value of their claims. To schedule a free case evaluation with a pedestrian accident attorney in Indianapolis, call our office today at 317-636-0808 or send us an email through our online contact form.

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William W. Hurst

Bill Hurst has successfully represented hundreds of accident victims, and has limited his practice to personal injury cases for over thirty-five (35) years.

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